Rain protecting device, especially for hatchways on ships



July 15, 1958 2,843,273

0. J. SANDEN RAIN PROTECTING DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR HATCHWAYS ON SHIPS Filed Nov. 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 O. J. SANDEN RAIN PROTECTING DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR Filed NOV. 25, 1955 A CHWAYS 0N SHIPS 4 heets-Sheet 2 1 iiii July 15, 1958 o. J. SANDEN 2,843,273

RAIN PROTECTING DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR HATCHWAYS ON SHIPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 25, 1955 2 so 4w m July 15, 1958 o. 'J. SANDEN 4 RAIN PROTECTING DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR HATCHWAYS ON SHIPS Filed Nov. 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I0 7 1// //4ZZZ/ ////////1/ I3 lo t w 0-, Jandn gwm 1% hired States atent Orifice 2,843,273 Patented July 15, 1958 RAIN PROTECTING DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR HATCHWAYS ON SHIPS Olof J. Sandn, Goteborg, Sweden Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 549,114

6 Claims. (Cl. 214--15) The present invention relates to a protecting device, especially for hatchways on ships, said device comprising a substantially rectangular fabric or the like, applied above the hatchway.

The device according to the invention is mainly characterized by a fabric, provided with a slot, which extends from one edge of the fabric towards the opposite edge, a rope for loading and unloading the ship being arranged to enter the open end of the slot, each one of the opposite edges of the fabric, parallel to the slot, being attached to one rotatable shaft, in order to make it possible to wind the fabric on one of the shafts, the fabric thereby being unwound from the other shaft by rotation of the shafts, thus the slot being moved to and fro between the shafts.

Some diiferent embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a side View of one embodiment of the new rain protecting device, and Fig. 2 shows a view from above of the embodiment in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section along the line III--III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged scale sectional detail, showing the slot in the fabric and the details arranged in connection with said slot. Fig. 5 shows a section along the line V-V in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a vertical section through a part of a ship, having another embodiment of the new rain protecting device. Fig. 7 shows a plan view of the embodiment in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows, partly in horizontal section, a fastening device for the edges of the rope slot, extending across the fabric. Fig. 9 shows the same fastening device in a temporary inactive position. Fig. 10 shows a section along the line X-X in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the part of the fabric, where the slot is situated. Finally, Fig. 12 shows a perspective View of one of the edges of the fabric, which extend essentially at right angle to the shafts, around which the edges of the fabric are wound.

In the drawings, 1 indicates in Figs. 1 to 5, a substantially rectangular fabric body or the like, which at each one of its two opposite ends is attached to one rotatable shaft 2, 3, said fabric being wound on or unwound from the shafts, when they rotate. The fabric is provided with a slot 4, which extends from one of the other edges 5, perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the fabric, to the opposite edge 6, so that in reality the fabric consists of two separate parts It: and 1b. A rope for loading and unloading the ship (not shown in the drawings) may be introduced into the slot 4, and the slot 4 is movable in its transverse direction to and fro between the shafts 2, 3, when they rotate, so that the loading rope in the slot may be brought to any position desired in the plane of the hatchway in question. 7 indicates the deck of the ship while 8 indicates the frame of the hatchway.

According to the invention the shafts 2, 3 are rotated by an electric motor 9 and at each edge of the slot a device 10 and 11 respectively is arranged in such a way that, under the influence of the loading rope in the slot,

it causes the motor to rotate the shafts 2 and 3, so that the slot is moved towards that shaft, which is adjacent to the device 10 and 11, actuated upon by the loading rope. In the example shown in the drawings each device 10, 11 consists of a line, which extends substantially parallel with the adjacent edge of the slot 4 and which at one end is connected to a device 12, which is arranged to be influenced by a pulling force in the line 10, 11, caused by pressure from the loading rope, so that the motor 9 brings the shafts 2, 3 to rotate in the direction desired.

As the fabric body 1 consists of two separate parts 1a and 1b,.it is necessary to provide the rain protecting device with a member, which keeps the two parts of fabric together, so that the edges of the slot 4 are kept in a definite position in relation to each other. Said member comprises a bow, the shanks 13 of which (see Figs. 3 and 5) being connected with the edges of the slot 4, while the bow itself is connected to a carriage 14, which is movable to and fro, parallel with the direction of the movement of the slot, caused by the motor. In order to prevent the shanks 13 to be bent apart under influence of the gravity of the fabric, each shank is reinforced by a stay 15, one end of which being connected to said carriage 14, the other end being connected. to the shank in question, adjacent to the free end of said shank. The bow also comprises another stay 16, which is designed to prevent the free ends of the shanks from being bent downwards. The carriage 14 is movable on wheels 17, which co-operate with rails 18, supporting the carriage. The carriage 14 is attached to a part of an endless chain or the like 19, running over two sprocket-wheels 20, each one of said wheels being applied to one of the shafts 2, 3. The motor 9 is coupled to the shaft 2 by a driving belt 21 and a driving pulley 22, applied on the shaft 2, and the chain 19 transmits the movement to the shaft 3 and causes the carriage 14 to move at the same time.

The device 12 comprises a circuit breaker arrangement with two switches, each one being acted upon by one of the lines 10, 11. From Fig. 5 it is obvious that one end of each line is attached to an arm 23, which is made to be turned by pulling the line, whereby the switch in question is brought in a position for the motor 9 to start. The arm 23 is acted upon by a spring 24, which is arranged to bring back the arm 23 to a position, in which the circuit is broken by the switch. The motor 9 is a reversible one, so that, by closing one of the switches, it is caused torotate in one direction and by closing the other switch it is caused to rotate in the opposite direc tion. An electric cable 25 extends from the device 12 to a cable-drum or the like 26 for winding and unwinding the cable according to the direction of rotation of the shaft 2, on which the cable-drum 26 is fixed. The cable 25 contains the electric circuits, which regulate the rotation of the motor 9.

As is evident from Figs. 2 and 4, the ends of the shanks 13, to which the lines 10, 11 are attached, extend past the edge 5 of the fabric, but the free ends 27 of the shanks diverge in the direction from the edge 5 of the fabric in order to make it easier to introduce the rope for loading and unloading the ship in the slot 4.

Suitably the fabric consists of a transparent material, preferably a material permitting one to look through it, in order that the daylight may pass through the fabric into the hold and, if the fabric is possible to look through, permitting the crane-manager to look down into the hold.

The shafts 2, 3 and the rails 18 are supported by a framework 28, which is designed to be detachably ap plied on the deck of the ship, in order that the whole arrangement may be taken away from the ship.

The use of the. arrangement will be clear from the preceding description and the drawings. After the load ing rope has been inserted into the slot 4 it can be moved between the shafts 2, 3 by the movement of the slot 4, said movement resulting from a pressing of the loading rope against one of the lines 1t), 11, whereby the arm 23 attached to the lines lltl or 11 is turned and closes the circuit in question, so that the slot 4 is moved in the direction to the shaft, which is nearest to the line or 11 acted upon by the loading rope.

in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6-12 the details, which correspond to those in the embodiment shown in Figs. l5, are referred to by the same reference numbers. Thus, 7 indicates the deck of a ship, where a hatchway is surrounded by a frame 8 rising from the deck. On the deck are also two stands 28, 29 arranged, one at each of two opposite sides of the frame 8 and at some distance from the latter. Between the stands 28, 29 a rain protecting device 1 extends in longitudinal direction of the ship.

As is evident from Figs. 6 and 7 said rain protecting device covers all of the hatchway and consists of a sheet of flexible material, for instance a fabric or the like, which may be transparent or possible to look through and which is arranged at some distance above the frame 8. The fabric, which preferably has the form of a length, is at each of its opposite ends wound around shafts 2 and 3, respectively, which may be rotated, so that the ends of the fabric are wound and unwound from the shafts. The ends of the shafts 2, 3 are rotatably mounted in supports 30, which are attached to the stands 28, 29.

According to a suitable embodiment of the invention, the shafts 2, 3 are freely rotatable, devices being arranged to stretch the part of the fabric, which extends between the shafts. In the example shown, these devices consist of weights 31, attached to the ends of lines 32, which are wound on pulleys or drums 33. Said drums are fixedly connected to the shafts 2, 3 in order to cause the weights 31 to exert a turning force on the shafts, and the device is designed in such a way, that the weights try to turn the shafts in opposite directions. Also other arrangements may be used to stretch the part of the fabric, which extends between the shafts 2, 3. In Figs. 6 and 7 an arrangement is shown where the shaft 3 is turned by means of a conical sprocket 34, actuated upon by a conical wheel 35 on a shaft 36, which extends into the stand 29. The shaft 36 may be turned by hand and/or by a motor.

The part of the fabric, which lies between the shafts 2, 3 is provided with a slot 4, into which a rope for loading and unloading the ship may be introduced and which extends between those edges of the fabric, which are substantially perpendicular to the shafts. The edges of the slot are connected by a plurality of separate fastening means, which are to be acted upon by said loading rope, when it is introduced into the slot 4, whereby each of the fastening devices is temporarily brought into an inactive position in order to permit the loading rope to pass by. On the edges of the slot there are attached tongues 37, which cover the slotbut may be acted upon by the loading rope (see Fig. 11) in such a way that the tongues are turned up, when the loading rope passes along the slot.

The fastening devices for the edges of the slot may be designed in any suitable manner, and in Figs. 8-10 one embodiment of such a fastening device is shown. The fastening device comprises four arms 38, which are stamped out of a metal sheet in such a way that the arms form a cross. Said cross is rotatably mounted on a shaft 39, so that the arms may rotate around this shaft. Each arm 38 is at its outer end provided with a flange 40, which is substantially coaxial to the shaft 39 and which extends in vertical direction on both sides of the arm. The metal-cross with the shaft 39 is applied between the shanks of a U-shaped balk 41, the middle part of which being attached to one of the edegs of the slot 4. To the other edge of the middle part of another U-shaped balk42 is attached, the shanks of which being at their inner sides provided with a pin 43, and the flanges 4t on the arms 33 are designed to co-operate with this pin to keep the edges of the slot 4 at such a distance as to permit the loading rope, indicated by 44, to be introduced be tween the opposite ends of the shanks of the balks 4 1, 42.

As is evident from Figs. 8 and 9 the loading rope when moving in the direction indicated by the arrow 45, will act upon the arm 38, the flange as of which is temporarily co-operating with the pin 43, so as to turn the arm clockwise together with the other arms 38. In Fig. 9 the arms 38 are shown in an intermediate position, where the fastening device is out of action. When the loading rope continues its movement in the direction of the arrow 45, the flange on the next arm 33 will be brought into such a position as to co-operate with the pins 43, and when the loading rope 44 has passed the fastening device, this will again be in an active position. In order to facilitate the introduction of the loading rope 44 into the slot 4, the ends of the balks are sloping towards the slot, as is evident from Fig. 7.

in order to facilitate running off of rainwater from the fabric, the shafts 2, 3 must slope somewhat, whereby that part of the fabric, which extends between the shafts 2, 3 slopes in a certain direction. As shown in Fig. 12 it is possible to arrange the lower edge and possibly also the upper edge of the fabric in such a manner, that it extends upwards, forming a channel, which leads the rainwater to a suitable place for its running off. In this case there must be devices for guiding the edges of the fabric, so that they are not double-folded when wound on the shafts 2, 3. In certain cases it may be suitable to reinforce the edges of the fabric with a line 46, but in this case the edges of the fabric have to be nonparallel, that is, the fabric has to taper in direction from the slot 4, so that it is avoided that the diameter becomes greater at the ends of the shafts, when the fabric is wound.

As mentioned above, the shafts 2, 3 may be freely rotatable, which makes it possible to move the slot 4 by means of the loading rope 4-4 in the longitudinal direction of the ship, after the loading rope has been introduced into the slot. If it is desired to lower the load on a place, where the slot is not situated at present, one can also cause the slot 4 to move to this place by turning the shaft 3 by force, as mentioned above.

.Of course the constructive performance of the invention is not limited to the embodiment just shown and described, but may vary in its details within the scope of the invention. Thus, at the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-5 the lines 10, 11 may be replaced by other suitable devices, under the influence of which the motor 9 may be brought to rotate in the desired direction, when the loading rope is pressed against these devices. Further it is possible to use a motor, that rotates in only one direction, instead of a reversible motor, but then the devices 10, 11 must be constructed to act upon a clutcharrangement, which is so arranged as to cause the shafts 2, 3 to rotate alternately in one or the other direction depending on which device 10, 11 the loading rope, introduced into the slot 4, is acting upon.

What I claim is:

1. A rain guard for the hatches of ships and the like comprising a substantially rectangular fabric body, means supporting the body above the hatch, the fabric body being provided with a slot extending transversely of the body from one edge to the opposite edge thereof, a rope for the loading and unloading of the ship introducible into the. ship through the slot in the fabric body, a pair of spaced apart rotatable shafts, each edge of the body remote from the edge adjacent the slot being attached to one of the shafts to permit .the body .to be wound on one shaft and unwound from the other shaft during rotation of the shafts whereby the transverse slot can be selectively moved in alternate directions, means cooperating with the edges of the body defining the slot to maintain such edges in substantial parallelism, electric motor means, and a device operatively connected with the motor means and located at each edge of the slot and engageable with the rope so that said device causes said motor means to rotate the shaft adjacent the edge of the device engaged by the rope to wind the body on such shaft and move the slot in the direction of such shaft.

2. A rain guard as defined in claim 1 wherein each device includes a line extending substantially parallel to the edge of the slot, switch means connecting with one end of each line, and means coupling the switch means with the electric motor means.

3. A rain guard as defined in claim 2 wherein the means maintaining the edges of the transverse slot in parallelism, the lines and the switch means are mounted on a carriage movable in parallel relationship to one longitudinal edge of the fabric body toward and away from the respective shafts and a drive connection between the motor and the carriage to impart movement to the carriage.

4. A rain guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric body comprises a transparent material.

5. A rain guard for the hatches of Ships and the like comprising a substantially rectangular fabric body, means supporting the body above the hatch, the fabric body being provided with a slot extending transversely of the body from one edge to the opposite edge thereof, a

rope for the loading and unloading of the ship introducible into the ship through the slot in the fabric body, a pair of spaced apart rotatable shafts, each edge of the body remote from the edge adjacent the slot being at tached to one of the shafts to permit the body to be wound on one shaft and unwound from the other shaft during rotation of the shafts whereby the transverse slot can be selectively moved in alternate directions, and means cooperating with the edges of the body defining the slot to maintain such edges in substantial parallelism, said last named means comprising a plurality of separate fastening units, each of said units being arranged to cooperate with the rope, when the rope is introduced into and moved along the transverse slot so that each unit is moved to an inoperative position to allow the rope to pass.

6. A rain guard for the hatches of ships and the like comprising a substantially rectangular fabric body, means supporting the body above the hatch, the fabric body being provided with a slot extending transversely of the body from one edge to the opposite edge thereof, a rope for the loading and unloading of the ship introducible into the ship through the slot in the fabric body, a pair of spaced apart rotatable shafts, each edge of the body remote from the edge adjacent the slot being attached to one of the shafts to permit the body to be wound on one shaft and unwound from the other shaft during rotation of the shafts whereby the transverse slot can be selectively moved in alternate directions, means cooperating with the edges of the body defining the slot to maintain such edges in substantial parallelism, and means to automatically stretch the fabric body betweeen the pair of rollers, said last named means comprising a pulley secured to each shaft, and a weight-loaded line secured to operate on each pulley so as to rotate the shaft in the direction of movement of the shaft for winding the fabric body thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,902 Gassler Dec. 29, 1914 1,640,188 Grunbock Aug. 23, 1927 2,201,781 MacGeorge May 21, 1940 2,219,226 Gerber Oct. 22, 1940 2,575,565 Schwalbe Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 295,046 Great Britain Jan. 3, 1929 

